Gabriel Avila

Costume Assistant
Teaching Artist

Gabriel Avila, A native of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, has been educated in many disciplines of Dance & Movement, including African, Ballet, Contemporary, Flamenco, Folklorico, Modern, Jazz and Movement for Musicals. Mr. Avila has 2 degrees in Art History and is pursuing a Masters at Cal State LA. Mr. Avila is a former principal dancer with Pacifico Dance Company. Mr. Avila is a member and guest instructor at various conferences, including DUF, CFU, and ANGF. He is the founder and artistic director of Pasion De Mi Tierra Dance Company. He has travelled and performed all over the US. Notable performances include residence at the Prestigious Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in D.C., LA Annual Holiday Celebration at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, The John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, The Broad Stage, The McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, Gallo Center for the Arts in Phoenix Arizona, The Harris Center for the Arts, The Eccles Center in Park City Utah, The Dolby Theater in Hollywood CA, Mariachi USA at the Hollywood Bowl, The Dolby Theatre, the Broad Stage and various Dia De Los Muertos Festivals at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and the Gene Autry Museum in Los Angeles, CA. Mr. Avila is associate producer for ladayofthedead.com, where he directs the ‘Mosaico Stage”. He has performed extensively for various artists such as Culture Clash, La Santa Cecilia, Annette & the Rebels, Perla Batalla, Ana Barbara, Pepe Aguilar, Eugenia Leon, Angeles Ochoa, Mariachi Sol De Me Mexico de Jose Hernandez, and the world famous Mariachi Vargas De Tecatlitan at the Mariachi USA Festival(2011 – 2014). In 2017, Mr Avila was hired as the Dance director for the rock group Fall Out Boy’s “Hold Me Tight” video, and was a guest lecturer for LA Master Chorale 2017’s Dia de Lo Muertos concert series. In 2019, Mr. Avila appeared in the CBS Show “Hawaii 5-O”.

Mr. Avila has trained extensively with Adriana Gainey Astorga, Karen McDonald, Ron Brown Charlotte Richards, Denise Leitner, Joel Sandoval, Raul Alvaro Garcia, Jaime Guerrero, Juan Gil Tadeo, Vicky Barriga, Kenny Long, Nzingha Camara, Carla Luna, Clarita Corona, and Judith Douglas. Mr. Avila has been the recipient of various scholarships and awards. In 2003 and 2004 Mr. Avila was admitted to the Alvin Ailey Summer Intensive, as well as the Jose Limon Dance Summer Academy. Mr. Avila has choreographed works of art that have been presented in local venues in basin LA where he is consistently teaching at various studios, and engaging in workshops dedicated to the preservation and awareness of Folklorico music and dance.